


they

by orphan_account



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Coming Out, Fluff, Gen, Gender Identity, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Nonbinary Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-04
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-08-19 10:44:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8202640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Eleven reads in the dictionary that they is used as gender neutral too, and she (they) can't help but think that's adequate for them.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I LOVE NONBINARY ELEVEN!!!!

Eleven was looking at a dictionary. Since she had come back from the Upside Down she had been homeschooled by Joyce, and she was rather happy with her new family, and Jonathan and Will were her brothers. Joyce had started dating Hopper and she liked seeing him around the house.

She was looking through the section of the letter T when her eyes fell on the word 'they'. It explained it was a pronoun used for multiple people, or for people one didn't know the gender of. For some reason, Eleven liked the idea of being referred as them. She liked the idea of it; plus, her name wasn't a boy's or a girl's. An advantage of being an eexperiment once, she guessed.

"Miss Byers?" Eleven said softly as she got up. She had learned more words and she was talking more; it made Mike happy, to see her be more open about herself.

"Yes?"

"They is used for people one doesn't know the gender of, right?" she asked.

Joyce's brows furrowed. "I don't know about that, El."

Eleven handed her the dictionary, pointing at the word 'they' and Joyce smiled. "Oh, that seems right. Nice to know that, El."

Eleven smiled at her as she decided not to tell her about her-- or rather, their new preference of pronouns.

The next day Lucas, Dustin and Mike were over at the Byers' house. They were playing Dungeons & Dragons when Eleven walked in. Mike hadn't seen them in a while, so he got up and went to hug them.

They both had changed in the weeks Eleven had been missing and now in the months Eleven had gone living with Will, Jonathan and Joyce. Eleven's hair was longer and Mike's was shorter.

"Hey," Eleven said softly.

"Hi," Lucas and Mike said at the same time. They looked at each other and grinned widely.

"What's up, El?" Mike asked.

"So... I'd like they pronouns."

"You what?"

"I prefer they pronouns. They can be used as gender neutral. I've never felt like a girl, so I think..." they trailed off, their eyes focusing on the floor. They weren't ready to see the disappointment or the disgust in their friends' eyes.

They didn't expect to feel Mike give them a bone-crushing hug, or how Lucas said that he could accept that. They smiled softly, and Mike kissed their cheek. "Alright. I'll call you by they from now on, El. Your name is okay, right?"

Eleven nodded and Mike smiled.

"I'm glad you told us," Mike said as he gave them another hug and then pulled away.

Eleven grinned and Mike was sure he had never found them more beautiful.


End file.
